Unspoken Friendship
Some friendships don't need words...
Through her beautiful Caldecott Honor book, Flora and the Flamingo, and the equally gorgeous sequel, Flora and the Penguin, former DreamWorks Animation artist Molly Idle explores the theme of friendship - with all the ups and downs that that implies.
As a young girl befriends a dancing flamingo in the first book and an ice-skating penguin in the second, the reader is invited to consider the complexities of friendship through simple yet powerful illustrations. We find, of course, that this means beauty, joy, and the thrill of connecting, but Flora also discovers that friendships demand humility, selfless giving, and forgiveness as well. After all, when befriending others, things aren't always as harmonious as a dance or as smooth sailing as an ice skating routine. Sometimes there are unexpected slips and sometimes there are painful misunderstandings. When this happens, feelings will inevitably be hurt as the synchronization becomes bumpy.
What adds to the wonder of these books is the fact that they are completely wordless. These themes are all conveyed, clearly and emotionally, through the illustrations alone. Both books take advantage of white space and minimal color to highlight the characters and events, with just a bit of cherry blossoms or ice water on the page edges to just set the stage. The pastel palettes add to the tentative feeling of outreach and vulnerability, as well as create perfect seasonal impressions.
The books also make ingenious use of interactive flaps to more effectively tell the stories. Children especially will enjoy flipping down the pictures to reveal a new and connected one underneath. This technique truly gives the reader a wonderful sense of fluid emotions and flowing movements.
Despite the missteps they encounter, Flora and her feathery friends navigate the complicated dance of friendship in these beautiful and meaningful books, and so teach young and old readers alike about the give and take, the back and forth, and the mutual cooperation necessary for relationships.